New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-30
yUE NEW DEED or GIFT


The changes made in the Deed Of Giit under
which the New York Yacht Club holds for per
pc,ua challenge the famous Americas Cup
have been approved by MIR. George l.. schuyler
the sole survivor Of the syndicate which bWIt
the America and will be commended by all
who desire that this greatest Of yachting tro-
phicS shall represent unqucStioncd supremacy.
The committee which made these changes II
composed Of men whose names arc well known
among yachlsmcn all over the world, ana are ol
themselves guarantee Of the thoroughly lalr
and sportsmanlikc spirit which has controlled
their work Under the old decd many conlro-
ycrsics have arisen between the chaIlcngcrs
and the club committee that have been neither
cdifying nor profitable. The changes made
aim to embody in an orgcnic law the prcccdcn,s
established by the committee and the decisions
Of the referee together with some other dcsr-
able conditions that tend to elevate and dignity
these notable contests.
Almost every challenger has raised strenuous
objections to the inside course and IN yielding
to these protests so far as to provide that III
case Of failure to agree upon the courses,
all the races shall be sailed on the open ocean,
the gentlemen who have prepared the new deed
have given convincing proof Of their c1uit-
able disposition. We have always considered
that the test afforded by the stlllcr water and
ii. liter winds prevailing in the Bay should be
required. These races are not merely a trial
Of sailing vessels They are trial OF yachts,
and yachts are not intended exclusively for
ocean VOYAGES The provision that there snail
be no time allowance in ease Of failure to
aglcc upon the number Of trials and the rcgua
lions il small compensation for the abandon
| mcnt Of the inside course.
II was "A wise prccaution to protect the centre
board Such extreme and unreasonable hostil-
ny to that admirable device exists among
| British yachtsmcn, "A hostility that rcvcrscs
have rendered only more pronounced and OBJ
Stinatc. as TO make 1t necessary IN case they
ever win tho Cup to provide against any dis
ordinations that will prevent our ccntrcboardS
| from cndcavOnng TO get it back. The require
| mcnts that dimensions shall be fully and cX-
plictiy stated, that ten months notice OF cbal-
lcngc shall be given and that challenging
yachts must be ut least siXty-iivc feet but not
moro than ninety feet in length ON
tho load water line. if one maStcd and at least
eighty feet and not more than one hundred
and fifteen feet If they are schooncrs, arc all
excellent provisions. Their effect Is To avoid
Misunderstanding 70 insure the challenged
party against unfair surprises, and to make
the contests real struggles between hrSl-caS'
vessels.
4 conclusive answer 70 the criticism excited
Ly the clause providing that no time allowance
shall be gwen IN case OF Il failure TO agree upon
conditions is afforded in the statement that
these races are not for yawiS and catboats
but for really representative yachts. The
possession Of tho Americas Cup should cvcl
stand as il now does. for the indisputabl,
championship. Tho old deed, in permitting
small boats to undertake its capture, was be-
hind tho times. In view Of the enormous cx